Ouagadougou Stargazing & Astronomy Report

Key Sky Quality Metrics

SQM (mag/arcsec²)

18.54

Bortle class

Class 8 (Class 8)

Darkness Quotient

28%

Dataset

August 2026

City sky

Ouagadougou: The Practical Verdict

Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso, is a densely populated urban centre in the Centre region. Observationally, it struggles with high light pollution, earning a poor city sky valuation, leaving most deep-sky objects effectively invisible. The Milky Way is entirely erased from view here.

Under its bright skies, observers can focus on the Moon, planets, and bright stars, which stand out against the urban glow. Narrowband imaging is feasible but requires care, and the darkest visible targets are severely constrained. Activities such as visual deep-sky observation and meteor shower watching are practically nonviable.

For those seeking better conditions for deep-sky observing, Oupounou to the south-south-west offers a significant upgrade with its much darker skies, approximately 95 km away. This makes it a worthwhile destination to escape the city's pervasive light pollution.

At a Glance

Overall

Poor city sky - This is a poor city sky. The Milky Way is not visible and most deep-sky observing is unrealistic from the location itself.

Milky Way

Not visible - The Milky Way is erased by the bright urban sky background.

Best targets from here

Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events, narrowband imaging only with care

Do not prioritise

visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae, widefield Milky Way

Best nearby upgrade

Oupounou sits about 93 km south south west and reaches Bortle 3, roughly 15x darker.

Good dark window

Ouagadougou retains astronomical darkness throughout the year, so seasonality is less extreme than at higher latitudes. The main limitation is light pollution, not the length of the dark window.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see the Milky Way from Ouagadougou?

No. Ouagadougou is a Bortle Class 8 sky with SQM 18.54, so the Milky Way is not visible from the city. For Milky Way photography, look for a Bortle 4 or darker site.

What Bortle class is Ouagadougou?

Ouagadougou is Bortle Class 8 (SQM 18.54), a poor city sky for astronomy.

Is Ouagadougou good for stargazing?

Not for serious deep-sky observing. Ouagadougou is a poor city sky where the Moon, planets, and a handful of bright targets are the realistic options from the city itself.

Is Ouagadougou good for astrophotography?

Broadband deep-sky imaging is heavily compromised from Ouagadougou and a Bortle 4 or darker site is strongly recommended. Even narrowband imaging is difficult from Ouagadougou without careful processing.

What can you observe from Ouagadougou?

Primary targets from Ouagadougou include Moon, planets, bright stars, double stars, solar system events. Targets such as visual deep-sky observing, broadband galaxies, reflection nebulae are not realistic from this sky.

Where are darker skies near Ouagadougou?

The closest meaningfully darker mapped site is Oupounou, about 93 km south south west of Ouagadougou, reaching Bortle 3.

When is the sky darkest in Ouagadougou?

The sky over Ouagadougou is darkest around January, December.

Is light pollution in Ouagadougou getting better or worse?

Long-term light pollution over Ouagadougou has been broadly stable across the available measurements.

• Oupounou

  Direction

  SSW

  Distance (km)

  92.9

  SQM

  21.45

  Bortle

  3

• Salé, Mopti

  Direction

  NW

  Distance (km)

  265.4

  SQM

  21.77

  Bortle

  2

• Kiriolol

  Direction

  NE

  Distance (km)

  267.5

  SQM

  21.75

  Bortle

  2